The Phone that Always Rings
by Ten Story
Summary: Slight AU about the early stages of Shinji and Kowaru's romance. Rated for extreme sexual content. Sequel "Forever" completed.
1. Chapter 1

"The Phone that Always Rings"

By Ten Story

Disclaimer: I don't own Eva, blah blah blah, etc. And yes, this is a bit AU, as the sequence of events is different and everyone is well into high school at this point. But that's the beauty of Eva, isn't it? You can mix everything up and its still part of the canon, if you count the video games and whatnot. XD Yes, I'm an idiot. Enjoy. 

The sun was rising over Tokyo 3 to a brilliant blue sky on a Saturday morning. The window in Ikari Shinji's room was pouring in the newborn sunlight, right into his sleep-filled eyes. He groaned and turned over, pulling his pillow tightly over his head.

_BANG BANG BANG!!_

"SHINJI BAKA! Get up already! It's your turn to cook breakfast this morning!"

Asuka knocked on the wooden doorframe and yelled. The sixteen-year-old shot up in bed at the loud sound, then collapsed back again.

"I cook breakfast every morning…" he mumbled to himself as he finally pulled off his shirt and crawled out from underneath the covers. "Why doesn't she do it for a change…?"

Shinji was usually the first one up in the morning and had already started the cooking by the time Asuka was in the shower, but he had been having trouble sleeping all week. He would spend hours just staring at the ceiling, listening to his walkman and trying to rest but to no avail. And when he finally did get some sleep, he would toss and turn, then wake up and fall back asleep again. He knew he was dreaming about something, but he could never remember what that something was. All he knew was that they always made him feel panicked and scared when he woke up in the night… 

He thought about it hard as he finished getting dressed. Things really weren't bad enough at the moment to give him nightmares. It had been at two months since the last Angel attack… and even a new pilot had joined the team a few days ago who seemed really nice. Nagisa Kowaru was his name. They had seemed to hit it off pretty well…they were already on a first name basis, and Shinji had spent the night with Kaworu only a few nights before. And, what's more, he did feel pretty comfortable around him. Who knows? Maybe they would become even closer friends.

Shinji picked up his school satchel off his desk as he fastened the last button on his shirt. He paused for only a second, twisting the little button between his fingers anxiously as he stared at his cellular telephone. The phone that never rang.

"Nagisa….Kaworu. Kaworu kun…." he whispered.

Then he left the room.

Shinji cooked and Asuka ate in silence. Every few minutes Shinji would yawn, then rub his drowsy eyes, while Asuka thumbed through one of her textbooks. Finally she looked at her watch, walked over to Misato's door, and banged on it.

"Misato, you're gonna be late." Asuka said in an irritated tone, as she did this every morning.

Five minutes later, a drowsy hand peeked out from behind the door and a voice came from behind it.

"You go on, guys….don't forget….synch test. Don't be late….ugh…."

The door slammed. Asuka sighed and grabbed Shinji by the wrist.

"Well, come on idiot, we're gonna be late too if we don't hurry." she said. Shinji didn't argue. Not because he knew it was useless to argue, and not because he was used to being pulled around like a dog on a leash. It was because his mind was thoroughly preoccupied, and was all the way to school.

"Ayanami, Rei…..not here again?" the teacher said. He sighed and licked his thumb so he could turn the page in his attendance book. Shinji stared out the window lazily as Asuka gossiped with the other girls in the classroom, completely ignoring the teacher as he began to read through the tedious geometry assignment from the previous evening. Kensuke was fiddling with his tape recorder and Toji was sleeping - otherwise he would have noticed Hikari, who was staring at the back of his head intensely with a lovestruck look in her eyes.

The classroom door slid open and in came a panting boy with short, silvery hair and red eyes. The students' heads all turned at the sound, including Shinji's. When he saw who it was, he couldn't help but smile hopefully. Asuka muttered something about slackers and frowned at him.

Nothing seemed to phase Nagisa Kaworu, however. He wore a calm, collected grin, even as he panted breathlessly.

"Gomen na sai, Sensei."

The teacher sneered. "To be late on the first day at a new school…that makes a very bad impression. I'll spare you detention this one time. Have a seat in any empty spot and pull out your text book."

Kaworu took the chastise in stride, his grin never wavering. Looking around eagerly, he saw a seat empty next to Shinji. Shyly Shinji waved him over, hunching his shoulders over and flushing.

Happily Kaworu joined him and began searching through his satchel for his geometry book.

"It's good to see you again, K-Kaworu kun." the boy managed to blurt out, a little louder than he had intended.

"The feeling is mutual, Shinji kun." said the other, putting an emphasis on 'kun.' He was obviously pleased that Shinji had not reverted back out of excessive politeness to more formal salutations.

"Oh, I don't seem to have my text book…" he pouted in a playful way.

Shinji flushed even deeper and scooted his desk towards Kaworu's. "Y-you could share with me, if you like, Kaworu kun."

Kaworu smiled and thanked him, scooting his desk closer as well. Asuka paused from her gossiping to watch Shinji. She sneered at his rare smile and turned her head away, letting the conversation around her die and trying to concentrate on the boring geometry lesson.

At lunch, Kaworu had joined Toji, Kensuke, and Shinji at their corner of the courtyard. They talked about nothing in particular - Kensuke seemed to be focused on Rei not being at school, and Toji barely listened.

"She's prolly just got the flu or somethin.'" Toji groaned, lazily bouncing a dodge ball off the cement wall over and over again.

"Yeah but she seems to be sick _all _the time. Hey, Shinji kun, you know Ayanami pretty well, right?"

"I've told you a hundred times, Kensuke, I work with her, and I know her pretty well, but she doesn't talk about herself much. And I don't ask."

Kaworu smiled at Shinji's answer, which made him feel uneasy, for some reason.

"Well it's weird if you ask me." the freckled boy growled.

"Why don't you just write her a love letter and get it over with?" Toji snickered. Kensuke ran at Toji and tried to hit him, but Toji held him off easily and continued to laugh.

"So I wanna know how she's doin', so what? Hey, Nagisa, have you met Ayanami?"

"Me? Yes, I have met her. She's a very charming young lady."

"She's charming alright…" Toji snickered again.

"So…you like her, Kaworu kun?" Shinji asked tentatively while the other two were distracted with bickering.

Kaworu looked strait into Shinji's eyes. "In what way, Shinji kun?"

"Well, I, uh…that is, ano…"

Kaworu laughed - it was the first time Shinji had heard him. It was beautiful, light and airy, as if made from pure joy. All the uneasiness he felt seemed to melt away, and his shoulders relaxed.

Just then, Asuka came parading by with a posse of giggling girls, all content to follow her around, wherever she decided to go. They stood on the top of the stairs above the four boys, the bright sun casting her face in deep shadow.

"So what's going on in the complete losers' corner today, hm?"

"Why do you wanna know?" Toji barked.

Asuka raised her bright red eyebrow and glared at him angrily. "I wasn't talking to _you_, idiot."

"WHAT? Why I oughta…"

Kensuke held Toji back while Asuka's gaze traveled to Shinji. A look of pure disgust fell across her face, but when she saw Kaworu, the look turned into loathing.

"What are _you _doing here?" she sneered. Kaworu only smiled at her and put his arm around Shinji. The gesture was not uncomfortable or possessive, but it alarmed Shinji with its suddenness, causing him to draw up into himself, wedging his hands between his legs and bowing his head low.

"I take it you've met Asuka." he offered humbly.

"Yes, I have had that pleasure." Kaworu answered. "You're looking lovely today, Asuka san."

"…Whatever. Don't be late for the synch test." she finally said. Then she turned angrily and walked away, the girls following closely behind.

"If you weren't a girl, I'd kick your ass!" Toji yelled after her.

The three of them, Shinji, Kaworu, and Asuka, walked directly to Nerv after school. Asuka kept up a pace that maintained a small lead, but the two boys did not seem to notice. They were talking happily about various things - school, Misato, the synch test…

"Don't you think it's strange we're having another synch test so soon? I mean, we just had one a few days ago. You did so amazing, Kaworu kun."

Asuka flapped her mouth mockingly at Shinji's comment, though he did not see it.

Kaworu grinned from ear to ear. "Thank you, Shinji kun. I'd never taken a synch test before. Perhaps I was just trying really hard. I'm sure you are naturally much better at it than the rest of us."

"Oh PUL-EEZE!" Asuka stopped and turned. "That boy couldn't beat me in a synch test if he tried."

"Oh, really, Asuka san?" Kaworu said innocently. "Because I seem to recall Misato saying the last few synch tests, Shinji kun has come out on top."  
Asuka walked up to Kaworu and glared at him, her face inches away from his. "Do you have a death wish?"

"That's silly, Asuka san. Why would I wish to die?" Kaworu replied. He was smiling, but there was something sad behind his eyes that only Shinji noticed.

"…You're a moron. Both of you are." she yelled suddenly, turning and picking her brisk walk back up that was practically a run. Kaworu happily slowed his pace down, leisurely floating along on the sidewalk.

"I wonder what else Shinji kun comes out on top of." he thought aloud. Shinji flushed at the ambiguous comment and looked at the ground.

"What do you mean by that, Kaworu kun?"

"What do you think I mean, Shinji kun?"

"N-nothing."

Kaworu laughed and looped his arm through Shinji's. "You are very kind and ingenuous, Shinji kun."

At the Nerv entrance, Asuka swiped her card and ran through to the elevator. Shinji and Kaworu paused to look at Kaworu's new keycard, happily discussing how the picture came out so nicely. Misato was waiting in the elevator when the doors opened.

"Finally! You guys are almost a minute late! Ritsuko is gonna kill me if we don't get down there _now!" _Misato barked. Asuka looked indignant as she defended herself.

"Don't look at me! We _would _have been here on time if it hadn't been for the two _best friends _over there." she pointed to Shinji and Kaworu.

Misato inwardly smiled, but kept her infuriated expression glued to her face. "You two! You have 5 seconds to get on this elevator!"

Kaworu raised his eyebrows. "Hai." he answered, leisurely hopping over the turnstyle and jogging to the elevator. Shinji followed, albeit less gracefully.

The synch test went well - so well in fact that Ritsuko invited everyone out for dinner at the local sushi bar. Rei felt well enough to join them, though she did not join in the lively conversation that spun all around her. Misato made jokes with Asuka. They laughed loudly while Ritsuko read her newspaper. Shinji and Kaworu were talking with one another at the end of the table.

Shinji hadn't been too concerned with the synch test itself, but more the events after the synch test. The last shower he had taken with Kaworu was uncomfortable to say the least, and this time was no exception. Kaworu had sat dangerous close to him, glancing over at him and smiling every few minutes. Shinji felt that Kaworu was silently asking him some question with his intimate gestures - his arm around him at lunch time, their arms linked on the way to headquarters after school. And it wasn't that Shinji disliked it…he just couldn't figure out what exactly that secret question was.

Well, that wasn't _entirely _true. He had an idea…but he was too afraid to ask.

__

It's not that, you idiot…you're probably just looking too much into it…

"What are you thinking about, Shinji kun? You got very quiet very quickly just now."

"Oh? Ano, nothing, Kaworu kun."

Kaworu half-frowned. "If you're sure." he said as the waitress brought a small plate of candy. "Do you like odango?"

"Yes, I do." Shinji replied. Kaworu then laughed and took a stick of it, putting it gently in Shinji's mouth. Rei's eyes stared intensely at them both, more specifically at Kaworu. Kaworu smiled at her and winked.

Shinji blushed and made approving noises. Then he offered a stick to Rei.

"Do you want some, Ayanami?"

"No, thank you." she replied matter-of-factly.

There was an awkward silence between the three of them. Kaworu, in attempts to continue the conversation, glanced down at Rei's bag and saw a small cel phone sticking out of the side pocket.

"Oh, you have a phone, Ayanami san? Is it a nice one?"

"I wouldn't know." she said in a monotone voice. "It's only for…" she looked away nervously. " …emergencies."

"Oh, I see. I just got a phone myself. Do you have one, Shinji kun?"

"H-hai, but I don't need it. Nobody ever calls me."

"Oh, really?" Kaworu said innocently. "Maybe it's because they don't know your number."

"Hey, what's that in the newspaper?" Misato yelled, now that she was fully drunk. She snatched Ritsuko's paper out of her hand and read aloud.

"Grand opening of new hot spring in Nagano this Sunday! In a group of four or more, the fourth on are free!"

"Nagano? That's two hours away." Shinji said.

"Shinji kuuuun, don't be such a downer, that's what cars are for!!!" Misato replied. "That settles it, guys. We're going to the springs tomorrow! You all don't have school anyway."

"Count me out." Ritsuko sighed. "I have to work."

"Aw, c'mon, Ritsuko. You do nothing but work!"

"Do we really have to go?" Asuka whispered to no one in particular.

"Being in the car with Misato san for all that time won't be exactly a healthy idea." Shinji muttered.

Kaworu laughed and patted Shinji on the back. "Surely it's not all that bad, is it?"

"Kaworu kun, you'll come too, won't you?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, thank you, Misato san. I would like to come. That is, if Shinji kun is going, too."

Shinji flushed and shrunk lower in his seat.

"You've been getting red a lot lately, Shinji kun. Are you getting sick?"

"He's been doing that since _you _showed up." Asuka chimed in with a wicked grin.

"Have not!" Shinji yelled.

"Oh yeah?"

Misato donned a wistful gaze and leaned back. "Ah, it'll be so nice to drink and get nice and hot, with lots of beautiful boys serving the sake…"

"So I take it you won't invite Kaji." Ritsuko mused.

It was Misato's turn to flush. "Why would I invite that jerk?"

"He hasn't called you lately, has he."

"That's none of your business…"

After they were done eating, they said their goodbyes to one another and headed their separate ways. Misato promised to pick up Kaworu at his apartment around 9 am, and that she would call Toji and Kensuke and invite them to come as well.

"You sure you don't want a ride home, Kaworu kun?" Misato asked as Kaworu got on the bus.

"No, I'm fine, thank you Misato san. Good night everyone!"

They all waved at him, including Shinji. Before the doors closed, Kaworu discreetly grabbed his hand and squeezed it affectionately.

"Good night, Shinji kun."

Rei watched him very carefully. So did Asuka.

"G'night, K-Kaworu kun. See you tomorrow."


	2. Chapter 2

Late that night, Shinji woke up in a cold sweat. Instantly he tried to recall what it was he had been dreaming about, but it was all gone.

Why did he keep waking up like this? Why couldn't he sleep? For the first time in a long time, he had made a friend, and he felt…genuinely…happy.

"I'm such a coward…" he whispered hopelessly. Then he looked over at his phone. The tiny screen glowed and stated:

'No missed calls, no new messages.'

He sighed and went back to bed.

The next morning both Asuka and Shinji struggled to wake Misato up. They finally poured beer all over her face, which sent her into a rage. At least then she was awake, they both said, though they had to listen to her complain for the next hour and a half.

They picked up Kaworu and Misato explained that Rei, Kensuke, and Toji would not be joining them. Toji was at the hospital with his sister while no one could seem to find Kensuke. Rei was feeling ill again.

"Too bad they couldn't come and take advantage of the grand opening offer." Misato sighed. "Oh well, at least one of us will be free."

"May I sit in the back with Shinji kun?" Kaworu asked Asuka. She glared at him as she moved up to the front seat, but once she had done so, she seemed in a better mood as she gossiped with Misato about Kaji. Shinji sat on the farthest end of the seat, practically smashing his body against the door. Kaworu did notice, but he made no mention of it.

"How did you sleep, Shinji kun?"

"Oh, um…"

"That reminds me, I heard you yelling in your sleep, Shinji baka. You better quit that or am I gonna have to come in there and beat it out of you?"

Shinji groaned. "Gomen, Asuka. I can't help it."

"You better help it or I'll help _you_!"

"Hey now, settle down." Misato said. "Let's try and have fun today."

There was silence after that. The dull heat of the sun shining on him and the rhythmic movement of the car caused Shinji to drift off…

When he awoke, the car had stopped. Misato and Asuka were out of the car, registering at the front desk of the spa. His head was resting on Kaworu's shoulder.

He shot upright and practically leapt to the other side of the car.

"K-Kaworu kun! I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep…"

"It's alright, Shinji kun. "Kaworu said as he smiled. "We're friends. It didn't bother me at all."

"H-hai…" the boy said shamefully. Kaworu exited the car then and Shinji followed, but not after cursing and calling himself an imbecile.

Misato and Asuka waved as they headed off towards the girls' section, while the two boys went to their section. They changed clothes in separate rooms - by the time Shinji came out into the pool area Kaworu was already in the water. Awkwardly he took of his towel, facing away from Kaworu, and lowered himself into the water.

The moment the water touched his skin, he relaxed.

"This is nice…" he said, his word practically melting in his mouth.

"Are you always alone like this when you all go to a hot spring?" Kaworu asked with a playful grin.

Shinji nodded shyly. "Sometimes Misato brings Pen-Pen," he answered. "But I think she called here beforehand and they said penguins aren't allowed."

"A penguin who likes hot springs…." Kaworu mused. "I don't believe I've ever heard of that."

Shinji grinned nervously. Kaworu's smile faded slightly as he looked directly at him.

"You never did tell me if you slept well or not." he asked politely.

Shinji was surprised a little at the repeat of the question, but a little relieved as well. His eyes fell down to the water.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, a torrent of laughter from the other side of the fence sounded. It might him jump slightly, but then he smiled at Kaworu, who was smiling, too.

"They sound like they're enjoying themselves," he said as he stood up and walked towards him.

"H-hai.…" Shinji replied shyly, obviously staring at the now completely exposed Kaworu as he walked. He kept trying to avert his eyes, but he couldn't.

Kaworu just kept smiling and sat down next to his friend. He put a kind hand on his knee, trying to get him to relax. Instead Shinji only tightened his muscles, letting out a small embarrassing gasp.

Kaworu recoiled a little sadly at the shrink from his touch, but decided to not let it phase him. He rested his arms across the rock wall behind him, scooting even closer to the other boy.

"Please…" he said. "go on."

Shinji smiled nervously, his hands wedged between his knees. But as he looked into those kind red eyes he melted slowly, letting out a deep breath and resting his head back on the rock wall.

"Nightmares." he said bluntly.

"What sort of nightmares?"

"I…I don't know. They just…keep me up all night. They make me so tense I c-can't…can't…"

"Relax?" Kaworu offered.

"…Hai. I…just wish I…I wish I had somebody there that when I woke up at night…they could… you know…help me to go to sleep again."

"You can't go to Misato san? And of course Asuka san…"

Shinji laughed at that one. "Asuka would scream her head off if I so much as knocked on her door."

"Mmm…" Kaworu hummed in dismay. "That does make a problem… is there no one you can call?"

The other boy shook his head quickly.

"Well that will have to change."

A long silence.

"Do you trust me, Shinji kun?"

Shinji did not hesitate in his answer. "Yes. I do very much, Kaworu kun."

"And I trust you. Perhaps you and I…we could be more than friends."

At this the boy jumped, flushing and stuttering. "Wh-what do you mean by that?!?"

Kaworu laughed. "I mean that we could be the best of friends. I would like you to call me when this happens. I'll give you my number when we get home. Maybe…Misato san would let me come over then?"

Shinji looked up happily with a large smile on his face, though a hint of disappointment rang in his voice. "You'd do that…? I-I mean, you'd…want to?"

Kaworu nodded once. "If that would be alright with you, Shinji kun."

"Oh, hai, I would like that a lot, Kowaru kun…" Shinji hurried to answer. "…a whole lot…"

He wanted so badly for Kaworu then to hug him. He didn't know why he felt so desperate…he just had to feel him next to him…feel his breath on his neck- heart to heart- skin on skin. He nervously began to lift his arms out of the water, but Kaworu seemed to read his mind and beat him to it. He wrapped his thin arms around Shinji's back in an embrace deeper than he expected. But Shinji was happy, closing his eyes and wrapping his large hands around the other's middle, completing it.

They held each other for several moments, smelling their sweat and hair mingling.

Suddenly, Shinji felt something pulse under the water. A semi-hardened shaft brushed against his thigh. He gasped and jumped a little, staring down into the misty yet transparent water. He could see Kaworu was feeling something familiar to him - as he too was feeling it.

Both boys looked down and in unison looked back at each other. Shinji shook desperately, confused, biting his lower lip. Kaworu was breathing heavily too.

"Shinji…" he whispered, jerking suddenly towards his face, then pulling back as if deciding something.

Quickly, as if the spell had been broken when he had uttered his name, Shinji let Kaworu go and turned slightly away from him, resting his shaking hands in the water.

"I….I'm afraid…" he whispered breathlessly.

"Don't be afraid." Kaworu whispered back. He turned the other boy to face him again and reached down, where he found his hand and grasped it tightly, raising it up out of the water.

"You see this?" He said, looking at their clasped hands. "You're not alone anymore, Shinji kun. I'm never letting go. Do you feel me shaking?"

"Yes…"

"I'm shaking because I'm afraid too. But I don't have to be afraid, because I'm not alone either. We are here together."

Gently Kaworu leaned toward Shinji's gasping breaths. Both sets of arms intertwined about the other, and the wet, warm kiss was sweet and overwhelming to them both.

The laughter on the other side of the fence and talking drowned out Shinji's quiet moans.

Kaworu smiled wickedly as his hand caressed stomach muscles, thighs, and necks. His kisses trailed down to gingerly touch Shinji's hardened nipples, causing him to practically scream. Quickly Kaworu clamped his hand over Shinji's mouth as he sucked at the little nubs of flesh, spreading his legs apart with his feet.

Shinji's back arched, raising him halfway out of the water to rest on the rock wall behind him, and bringing his now pulsing erection even closer to Kaworu.. Wrapping his arm around the small of his back, Kaworu eagerly grasped the throbbing shaft, pulling at it long and hard. Shinji bit down viciously on Kaworu's fingertips, squirming uncontrollably and grabbing fistfuls of silvery hair.

Before he knew what exactly he meant to do, Kaworu let go of Shinji and grabbed his backside with both hands, ramming his own sex hard against his. Then with one hand he grabbed them both, pulling and pushing on them in rhythm with Shinji's desperate breaths. He sucked on Kaworu's middle finger, wrapping his legs around his waist and groaning.

Shinji's back was getting scratched by the rocks beneath him, but he didn't care. The heat trapped in his belly began to uncoil, the release so close and yet so far. Kaworu pinched a nipple and seized Shinji's mouth with his own, driving his tongue practically down into his throat.

The thrusting each made with their hips grinding against one another made loud splashes, which confused Misato and Asuka, but they paid it no mind. Kaworu began to lower them both back into the water, the thrusting now completely muted. Shinji dug his nails into Kaworu's back, sinking his teeth into his shoulder, while Kaworu whispered over and over Shinji's name until they both came in unison, a blast of passion that sent them both reeling and collapsing against one another.

Quietly they exchanged soft kisses in between deep gasps for air, their skins both bright red and covered in the sticky residue of sweat and ecstasy.

They heard a knock on the fence adjacent to them.

"Hey boys, let's go grab something to eat. We need to get home early since you've got school tomorrow."

For a moment neither of them answered out of exhaustion. Kaworu was the first to speak.

"Hai, Misato san. We'll meet you in the restaurant."

He grabbed Shinji's hand and steadied him as he stood up. Then they walked together to the changing room.

Throughout dinner Shinji was unusually quiet. Kaworu told jokes that amused the girls - the three of them seemed engrossed in their laughter. Even Asuka had forgotten her loathing for Kaworu temporarily as she sipped on her tea and ate her dinner.

Kaworu made no gesture of affection towards Shinji, nor did he hint on anything that had happened between them. It made Shinji feel relieved, as he was still reeling from the whole experience, but at the same time it made him feel afraid.

"Seat belts on?" Misato yelled to the back as they all climbed into the car. Asuka slid hers on with ease, as did Kaworu. Shinji usually never failed to put his on the second he entered Misato's car, considering he was quite familiar with her driving habits. But this time, he had forgotten. His hands began to twitch as he stared at his seat belt buckle. With his heart pounding as hard as it could he decided not to put it on, in case Kaworu asked him to come closer...or he asked him to...or they...they... ...

Shinji swallowed hard and buried his twitching hands between his legs. A long sigh followed from his tired lungs.

The engine started up with a cough and a sputter. Misato and Asuka began talking quickly about dresses and new shopping malls being built and other such things Shinji didn't care to listen to. Kaworu stretched and yawned quietly, resting his arm along the top of the seat. Shinji's eyes glimpsed quickly over at him and again blushed profusely. With wide eyes he stared at the floor as hard as he could, his shoulders hunched over and shivering. Every three seconds or so he took another hard swallow for his dry throat.

As they passed through a tunnel and the overhead lights passed like flashes through the windows, the boy jumped as he was startled by Asuka snapping:

"SHINJI-BAKA! Are you going to barf or something? You look like you're gonna be sick! What's the matter with you?"

He looked up sharply at her, but found his eyes almost immediately darting to Kaworu across from him. The friendly, familiar face was smiling and looking directly at him. Shinji managed a weak smile back and went back to boring holes in the floor.

Asuka squinted and took a good look at Shinji. Then she looked at Misato, who returned a shrug.

"You okay back there, Shinji kun?" Misato asked.

Being relaxed just a little by the sound of Misato's voice, at least compared to Asuka's, he nodded sharply and quickly, whispering, "H-hai, Misato san." Another hard swallow.

But Asuka didn't seem to buy that.

"Well, if you DO throw up," she concluded. "Get out of the car and do it. I don't want the smell making ME sick too."

Shinji's heart sank even lower as he stared sadly out the window. Suddenly, he heard:

"Asuka san, perhaps Shinji kun is just thinking. Surely there are times when in the car you watch the world go by and think about things?"

Shinji looked up. Kaworu was smiling at Asuka. Asuka's face twisted, then she turned back in the front seat and folded her arms across her chest.

"Boys..." she hissed under her breath.

Shinji found himself smiling as he turned to Kaworu, but Kaworu just kept looking strait on, still grinning his calm grin.

Shinji sighed and relaxed a little, letting his back and head hit the back of the seat, his hair tickling the very edges of Kaworu's fingertips. He closed his eyes and rested.

The next time Shinji opened his eyes, he was alarmed to see that it was already nine o'clock. He had slept for an entire hour, and home was not that far off.

The car was stopping at a gas station. The sun was already completely set, and the overhead lights of the metal canopy above the gas pumps gave off a warm glow into the car. He looked about him as Misato parked the car to see Kaworu still staring forward in the same exact position he had been in an hour ago, and Asuka slouching in her seat, playing cat's cradle with some purple string.

_At least I didn't fall asleep on Kaworu kun this time…_ he thought to himself.

"Well, only about twenty minutes left guys, then we'll be home." Misato sighed. "I let you guys slack off this whole week on homework, but its Sunday now, so you better get it done before you get to sleep tonight, okay?"

Asuka groaned a reluctant 'okay' and Shinji simply nodded, staring out of the corner of his eye at Kaworu. He nodded to give Misato an answer so she wouldn't bother him.

As Misato opened the car door, one of her eyes squinted and she ran her fingers through her hair, scratching her head.

"Kaworu kun," she said questioningly.

"Hai, Misato san?" Kaworu replied.

"Its getting kind of late, and your place is all the way on the other side of town..." she whispered to herself. Then, loudly, she continued, "I feel kind of responsible for you, too, and I wouldn't want you walking through your neighborhood all by yourself when I drop you off at this time of night...so why don't you stay with us tonight? You can sleep in Shinji kun's room, if that's okay with both of you."

Kaworu's smile grew even more and he nodded. "Domo Arigato, Misato san. I would like that."

Misato grabbed her purse from under the driver's seat and asked, "Shinji kun, how do you feel about that? Is it okay with you?"

Kaworu grinned at Shinji, asking very softly, "Is it okay, Shinji kun?"

Shinji sat strait up, his eyes shifting from Misato to the floor, and occasionally to Kaworu, who made his very ears start burning red hot. "H-hai, it's alright with me." He answered.

"Good! It's settled. And Kaworu kun, you're always welcome at our house. Now, who could use a snack? I'm buyin'!"

"Me!" Asuka shouted.

"Great! Let's go. We'll be back in a sec, boys."

The two girls hopped out of the car and raced to the gas station's convenience store.

They were now alone in the car.

Shinji had not once felt his cheeks cool the entire car ride, and now he felt them grow even hotter. He wanted to say something. DO something. He felt it only right to somehow let Kaworu know, even in the slightest way, that what they had done at the hot spring had meant something wonderful to him.

Kaworu looked strait ahead out of the front window and kept smiling. His arm was still stretched across the back of the seat, inviting Shinji with silent words to come closer. Shinji could feel his body shaking at the idea - his whole being was melting away into nothing but nervousness and anticipation.

Would Kaworu push him away? Would he get angry? Had it all been some kind of an illusion?

...Perhaps he had not responded enough and now Kaworu thought that he didn't like him. Perhaps he hadn't done things right...perhaps he had offended him somehow...

Or maybe he only wanted that one time, and now he didn't care about Shinji at all. Maybe what he had said in the spring was...a lie...?

Despite all these doubts, the boy began to move. His hands still wedged in between his thighs, his body slowly inched across the leather interior with a slight squeaking sound following, making him cringe. Kaworu closed his eyes and kept smiling, but other than that he was completely still.

With a scoot, and then another, and then another, and finally one more slow, painful shift of weight, Shinji was sitting directly up against Kaworu. He swallowed hard and slowly rested his head on his shoulder.

Kaworu laughed softly and wrapped his outstretched arm about Shinji's shoulders. Then, with the other hand, he held his chin up and gazed into his bright blue eyes.

Shinji began to breathe heavily and his eyelids lowered.

"K-Kaworu kun..." he began quietly.

Kaworu hushed him by kissing the nape of his neck, working his way up to his ears. His hand pressed against his cheek, saying a thousand things but not saying anything at all.

Shinji quickly put his hand on top of Kaworu's, as if to assure himself that the gesture was real. Then desperately he hugged Kaworu to him and buried his head against his chest, on the verge of sobbing from the happiness that came from Kaworu's responding touches.

So he wasn't mad...he wasn't...everything was okay...okay... ...

"Did you think it was a dream?" Kaworu whispered. "Did you think that it would disappear the instant it was over?"

Shinji nodded quickly as his fingers dug like claws into Kaworu's t-shirt. Kaworu held him as close as he could and continued to whisper:

"No. It won't go away_. I _won't go away. Have a little more faith in me, Shinji kun."

Kaworu laughed again. Shinji looked up at him, desperately wishing that those lips would kiss him. And as if he knew, Kaworu began to lean in closer...their lips were almost touching...

"We're back!" Misato said as she began to unlock the car door from the outside. Asuka waited patiently next to the passenger door, licking a vanilla icecream cone.

Shinji almost flew to the other side of the car and once again buried his hands between his thighs. Kaworu simply kept smiling.

As the two girls hopped in and Misato started the engine, she leaned back and said, "Did you guys behave while we were gone?"

Shinji and Kaworu looked at each other.

Shinji blushed and said, "Hai, Misato san."

Misato shrugged and put the car into drive. "Good. Now let's get home."


	3. Chapter 3

"Phew! Can you believe that traffic? Its almost ten, already! C'mon guys, time to get your homework done." Misato said as she opened her apartment door and tossed her sneakers on the floor and threw her duffle bag across the room. She reached into the fridge and pulled out a beer.

"I just have a chapter to read." Asuka yawned, opening the door to her room. "I claim the shower in the morning, so nobody better be in there tomorrow. G'night."

She slammed the door behind her.

Shinji nervously stepped into the door and gingerly took his shoes off. Kaworu kept his hands in his pockets--slipping his shoes off with his toes. Shinji watched Kaworu look around the small living room and kitchen. He never stopped smiling.

"Well, Kaworu kun, if you'll help Shinji kun get his homework done, I have work early tomorrow..." Misato continued with a yawn. "I guess you can borrow some of his clothes for school, too...so everything's settled...oh, do you have your books with you?"

Kaworu turned around, showing that his dark green backpack was strapped to his back and was safe and sound.

"Oh, good...well...Oyasumi then..."

Misato drank all of her beer and threw it in the trashcan on her way through her bedroom door. They heard it slam and then all was quiet.

The silence seemed to wash over Shinji and made him more relaxed than he had been in days. He turned to face Kaworu and smiled at him. Kaworu opened his mouth to say something, but both were startled when Asuka's door opened, revealing only her angry and twisted face.

"And by the way..." she snapped. "If I catch either one of you peeking at me you'll wish you'd never been born!"

Another slam. Shinji and Kaworu once again looked at eachother. They both laughed nervously.

"I've never seen where you live, Shinji kun." Kaworu said. "It's nice."

Shinji smiled and nervously went over to the fridge. "Do you want something to drink or eat? I think there is _some _safe stuff in here..."

Kaworu walked by the now bent over Shinji and brushed his hand over the back of his neck. Shinji immediately stood up strait and closed the fridge door.

"I'll have something later, thank you." Kaworu whispered. Shinji turned and nodded softly.

He led Kaworu across the hall and opened a door for him. "This is my room. The bathroom is next to it, over there, on the right." He pointed down the hall.

The gray-haired boy walked only into the door frame and looked at the sign posted on the door.

"Shinji's lovely suite..." he said, reading the words. He turned to Shinji and smiled.

"Misato san made it for me when I first moved in..." Shinji blushed. He then walked into the room, dropping his bag on the bed and then taking his school books off the shelf.

"I don't have that much to do..." whispered Shinji as he sat down at his desk. "It'll only take me fifteen minutes or so. " He licked his pencil tip and opened his notebook to a blank piece of paper. "Just some math...problems..."

Kaworu's hand brushed the back of his neck once again as he passed by. He then put both his hands on his shoulders and sighed.

"I'll take a shower, then." he said. "Are there towels in the bathroom?"

"H-hai..." Shinji replied.

"Okay." Kaworu said. He then left.

At first, Shinji kept working on his homework and was not distracted. Then, he heard the water turn on.

He shot up in his seat. His ears were listening hard as he doodled on the page. For splashing water, humming…any sound at all.

He sighed.

_Would he want me to...? Would he mind if...?_

No. No. He only had one more problem left. He had to at least finish it.

_Well, maybe he needs something like soap or something. Surely he wouldn't care if I went in there to tell him where everything is..._

A few minutes passed as he stared out into the abyss, his pencil bouncing up and down on the paper.

_He wouldn't mind...he said...he said..._

More staring, only this time at his paper. He barely noticed that every answer to every one of the problems he had done since he had been sitting there was wrong.

...Finally his mind was made up. He wrote down a random number, circled it to indicate that was his answer, and closed his math book. He headed towards the bathroom.

Slowly he crept down the hallway, the floorboards creaking softly underneath his feet. His heart was pounding harder and harder. He began to turn the bathroom door knob...

The first thing he felt was the mist from the hot water on his skin. It filled the bathroom, leaving the mirror foggy. He saw Kaworu's silouette through the shower curtain. He could see he was running his fingers through his shaggy hair, arching his long back as the water hit his chest.

Shinji's chin dropped. He absentmindedly began to walk towards the shower, his breathing deep and shivering.

Before he knew it he was standing next to the shower curtain. His eyes were wide as his shaking hand reached to touch it...

Suddenly the curtain flew open. There Kaworu stood, his red eyes excited and staring strait at Shinji, who drew back in surprise.

"I...I...wanted to show you where the soap was and...A-ano..." he tried to speak. Anxiously he gazed at the floor, his face burning and his body noticably changing against his will. His eyes glanced up on their own, only to come right back down again even before he reached Kaworu's thighs.

Kaworu did not hesitate. He stepped out of the shower--his body dripping with hot water - the fog enveloping him as he walked. He then quickly grabbed Shinji's outstretched wrists and pulled him close, finally wrapping his long, thin arms around his waist.

Shinji froze in place. For quite some time, the two of them simply stood there in the silence and fog.

...Finally, Shinji's two arms wrapped around Kaworu's neck, and their lips met.

Between their long kisses Shinji let out a passionate groan, running fingers through wet hair. Kaworu just smiled, working his way down to Shinji's long neck. His hands roamed harshly, touching every part of his lover, tearing at the buttons and belts and zippers, desperately ripping at cloth.

With clawed fingers Shinji fumbled and tried his best to help Kaworu undress him, but every time he tried Kaworu would kiss his lips once again to hush him and Shinji could not help but stop completely and yield to him.

After he was completely stripped they stumbled into the shower, their lips never parting. Instantly Kaworu laced his fingers in between Shinji's slamming him against the wall. Their sexes pulsed against one another's, Shinji lifting one of his legs to hook Kaworu's hips in, Kaworu burying his face in Shinji's neck.

The water cascaded down their skin, pooling where their hips were locked together. The water drenched Shinji's face as he looked towards the ceiling, moaning breathlessly, unaware of how loud he was.

Kaworu didn't seem to care, either. He grabbed Shinji's sides and pulled him closer to him, violently kissing him over and over and over again. When they broke apart both pairs of lips were red and swollen, but Kaworu did not want to stop there.

He squatted down and stared at Shinji's hardness, watching the water surround it like a transparent glove and then drip off the tip.

"K-Kaworu kun…what are you do--stop…you can't…mmm!"

Slowly Kaworu swallowed him, pushing Shinji's legs apart and gripping his thighs.

"Ah…mm…Kaworu kun…"

"Shhh…"

"But, I…mmm!"

Shinji came suddenly in a blast of energy - and much to his surprise, Kaworu did not spit it out. He swallowed it calmly and came back up to kiss him.

"You liked that, mm?" Kaworu said, grinning.

"I…I don't know what to do…" Shinji whispered in their embrace. He felt Kaworu, still hard and raging, against his leg. "Tell me how to do it…"

"Not here." Kaworu panted. He turned off the water and hurriedly grabbed a towel, drying them both off in the midst of intense, desperate kisses. They rushed back over to Shinji's room, their hair still somewhat wet, and turned off the lights.

The moonlight drenched the bed as Kaworu sat down on it, guiding Shinji to stand in front of him. Shinji's body flushed entirely but he did not try to cover himself. Instead he watched Kaworu's eyes as they absorbed every curve, every nuance of his.

"I want to do this right." Kaworu whispered. "Let's take our time…"

"But Kaworu kun…" Shinji gestured to Kaworu's erection, still as hard as before. He kneeled down in front of him and put himself between his legs. "Please…show me how to do it…I want to make you feel good like you did for me…"

Kaworu smiled. "Alright…" he said, trying to remain calm but clearly in an aroused state. "Put your hand around the base."

Shinji did as he was told, taking care to go slowly and push each of his fingers through his dark, wiry hair. Kaworu inhaled sharply, his hands caressing Shinji's cheek.

"Take your other hand and touch me there." He pointed to his sac. "Put your whole hand around them and move your fingers."

"Like this?" Shinji asked as he began to massage the skin. He did not wait for an answer before he wrapped his lips around the head of his erection, running his tongue up and down the underside, gently sucking the tip.

"Yes, Shinji kun." Kaworu panted. "Just like that…keep doing it…suck harder…"

About a minute went by before Shinji came up for air. His jaw ached and his lips were even more swollen, but he did not let go of Kaworu, intent on finishing. But Kaworu raised his chin up.

"Shinji kun…I want us both to feel good. Do you still trust me?"

"Yes…of course I do…"

"Then come up here on the bed with me." 

Shinji obeyed, revealing that he had already grown back into semi-hardness. Kaworu directed him to lay on his back and open his legs, exposing himself completely to his eyes.

Instinctively Shinji began to close his legs, but Kaworu held them open, much to the other's embarrassment.

"Do you have any Vaseline?" he asked. Shinji nodded and pointed to his bedside drawer. Kaworu retrieved it.

"This will feel a little weird at first, but trust me, and it will feel good soon. Okay?"

"Okay…I-I'm ready."

Kaworu dipped two fingers in the Vaseline and slowly began to rub Shinji's erection. He squirmed and panted under his touch, squinting his eyes shut and fisting the sheets. Kaworu smiled and rubbed his sac, moving down to the skin underneath it and finally to the small ring of muscle beyond. His eyes wandered over Shinji's most private parts as his fingers swirled around the tiny entrance.

"I'm looking at you, Shinji kun. You're beautiful."

"K-Kaworu kun…"

"You should see how beautiful you are too. Open your eyes - look down."

Kaworu shifted them both so Shinji could prop his back up against the wall. Shinji opened one eye at a time and watched with a drunk expression at Kaworu's hand movements.

Looking around, he spotted a hand mirror on the desk. He grabbed it and put it against his stomach muscles so Shinji could see what his fingers were doing exactly. Out of complete embarrassment Shinji turned his face away.

"Don't do that. Watch. That way you won't be scared." Kaworu pleaded. The tone had been so kind that almost as a personal favor to him, Shinji nodded and looked again at the mirror, his breathing becoming heavier.

"Hold on tight." Kaworu said. Then he slid two of his fingers into him.

Shinji gasped and groaned aloud. Still he kept his eyes locked to the mirror as Kaworu added another finger, sliding in and out of him, occasionally adding more Vaseline. The other hand continued to stroke his gleaming shaft, beading at the tip and dripping down over his hand.

Now voluntarily spreading his legs as far as they could go, Shinji's eyes rolled back into his head as Kaworu's finger scraped gently against something deep within him that felt…so exquisite he could barely stay conscious. Then he felt something much bigger and longer slide into him - it was Kaworu own shaft. Quietly Shinji moaned as Kaworu grabbed his hips.

"Is this…okay?" Kaworu panted, picking up the pace. Shinji nodded hurriedly and had to bite the sheets to prevent himself from screaming. It wasn't long before both of them came, moaning and sweating and catatonic from the climax. Kaworu managed to climb up on the bed and throw his arms around Shinji, both naked and drenched in moonlight.

"Kaworu kun…"

"Hm?"

"Will we…always be together?"

Kaworu smiled. "Of course, Shinji kun."

"I mean…can we be like…a couple? Will you…"

"Shinji kun, I was yours before I ever met you."

Shinji smiled and curled up against him.

"I'm so glad…I found you…"

Kaworu closed his eyes. "I'm glad I found you too. Oh, before I forget…can I have your phone number?"

Shinji smiled and kissed him.

As Ritsuko and Misato traveled down the elevator, paperwork and coffee in hand, the two of them talked about the weekend's happenings.

"Did you all have fun at the hot springs?" Ritsuko asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I think we all had a good time. That's a nice place. Wish you hadn't worked so you could have gone with us." Misato replied.

"I wanted to, but these synch test reports needed to get done, and they weren't going to write themselves."

"Yeah, yeah, I know...to tell you the truth, I had a load a' paperwork that I didn't do myself...eheh..."

"Why does that not surprise me?"

"Aw, c'mon, when do I ask for a break?"

"Every day."

"You always have to rub it in, don't you?"

"Oh yeah, its my job to make you as miserable as possible. Oh hey, by the way, didn't our new pilot go with you?"

Misato nodded. "I invited him. I'm kind of hoping that another boy on the team will make Shinji kun feel a little more comfortable. Who knows? Maybe I'm hoping they'll even become good friends. God knows I'm not doing much for him."

"Don't say that." Ritsuko said sadly. "Shinji kun is a lot better off than when he got here, and that's because of you."

"Yeah, I wish..." Misato sighed. Then she looked to the blinking numbers above the door to see what floor they were passing, and there she fixed her eyes, as if she were staring off into the sunset somewhere far away.

"So..."Ritsuko pried. "How did it go? Are they close or what?"

Misato sighed and then stared at the floor. "Well, it seems like there's some good chemistry going on between them...I mean, Shinji kun still looks like he's nervous around him but he sure does smile alot when he's around...at least, that's what I see."

"And how is Kaworu?"

"I think he likes him alot. In fact..." Misato thought. "A whole lot."

"Does that bother you?"

"No, not at all, really. I mean, despite my earlier feelings about him, he really doesn't make me as nervous as he used to. I think he's growing on me, and I think he's growing on Shinji kun too. I think it'll work out well."

Now Ritsuko stared at the door, hearing the bell ding and the gears start to creak. She stepped out of the elevator and turned to face her distraught looking friend as the doors closed once more.

"Well, for Shinji's sake...for all our sakes, I hope you're right."

And then the doors closed.

Shinji and Kaworu did not speak at school. At lunch they hung out with Toji and Kensuke, but not a word passed between them. When it was time to go home and they said goodbye to one another, Kaworu smiled, but Shinji thought nothing of it, as Kaworu seemed to smile at everyone.

_It's like the car all over again. _Shinji thought. _He treats everyone so nicely, he's friendly with everyone…how can I tell that he feels differently about me when he doesn't treat me any differently?_

…Why can't I just have faith in him, and not ask myself these dumb questions?

But to him, he admitted, these weren't dumb questions. They were the questions that made him who he was. And, he decided, he was willing to accept that.

When he got home, he threw his satchel on his desk and began to take off his watch. His eyes just happened to pass over the desk, when he caught a glimpse of his phone's tiny screen.

"One missed call, one message."

His eyes practically bulging out of his head, he tried to calm himself enough to remember the directions on how to check messages. Finally he remembered, and the little screen revealed a one-sentence text message that made his heart swell.

"Can I come over for dinner? - Kaworu"

He smiled and began to text a 'yes' back, knowing full well that his phone would never again be the Phone that Never Rings.


End file.
